The 17th International Symposium on Regulatory Peptides is planned for January 25-28, 2009 at the Fess Parker's Doubletree Resort, Santa Barbara, California. Gut regulatory peptides are a structurally diverse group of molecular messengers that function in a rich network of information exchange systems not only in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract but also throughout the organism. The prominent roles of regulatory peptides in fetal/postnatal development, modulation of diverse physiological functions, including brain/gut communication and regulation of food intake, participation in cellular repair/regeneration responses and contributing to proliferative and inflammatory diseases have been increasingly evident. Accordingly, the functional and therapeutic significance of these peptides can be exceedingly broad. Gut regulatory peptides and neuropeptides, their receptors and signaling pathways have been the subject of intense investigation, including gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP), corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), cholecystokinin (CCK), gastrin, galanin, GLP-1, GLP-2, GIP, ghrelin, motilin, neurotensin, peptide tyrosine-tyrosine (PYY), tachykinins and vasoactive intestinal peptide. There is extreme interest in these peptides in diverse disciplines, including the highly topical neuroendocrine regulation of food intake by the gastrointestinal system. Accordingly, there is an urgent need for a central forum to compare and share information, discuss hypotheses and generate new concepts for the future. The International Symposium on Regulatory Peptides (REGPEP) brings together leading investigators to present their recent findings and discuss their data in the context of central questions in the field. This is a biennial conference of more than 200 researchers from leading international laboratories studying the expression, receptor signaling and functional attributes of gut regulatory peptides. In keeping with the international spirit, the meeting sites have alternated on different continents; the first symposium was held in 1976 in Asilomar, California. One of the features of this Symposium is the Viktor Mutt Lectureship established in recognition of the fundamental research of Viktor Mutt in the field of gastrointestinal peptide hormones and neuropeptides. It has been awarded since 1994 every two years at the same time of the International Symposium on Regulatory Peptides. The major aims of the conference have been threefold: 1) to provide a central forum to disseminate new and largely unpublished information among investigators as a means of promoting research; 2) to identify important thematic and technological advancements in the field with goals for clinical therapeutics; and 3) to attract young new investigators to the field to foster future research. From previous meetings, the interactions among international laboratories have been stimulating, strong and durable; the 17th International Symposium aims to continue that information and technology transfer to accelerate new developments. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]